Optical networks continue to be deployed that provide improved performance in terms of bandwidth and transmission speeds. An aspect of this performance improvement relates to increasing reductions in size for components employed in such networks, one example being optical transceivers. The evolution of today's optical transceivers has been driven by multi-source agreements (MSAs). These agreements establish various standards or specifications for optical and electrical characteristics, pin functions and for other aspects of module form factors for optical transmitters and receivers. For example, standardized features of a so-called SFP, which is a small pluggable form factor, are provided. However, many aspects of optical transceivers are not standardized, including mechanisms for engaging or disengaging a transceiver from a host receptacle or cage for a line card of a switch, for example. Therefore, innovations continue to be developed to make such mechanisms more robust, easier to assemble and easier to manufacture.